Feral Cats can be tamed and they are just shy and scared!

Does anyone have any help to offer? I have two feral cats (male and female) on my large screened porch. They are the mom and dad to my kittens…all have been fixed. We had to move, so I trapped them 2 weeks ago and have been trying to gently get them used to people (me). I stay when I feed them, but they just run behind the sofa on the porch when they finish eating. How can I make them be less afraid of me? I’m doing everything I read about…not moving when they come out, not looking at them, not scaring them…etc. I really want to help them and let them come inside, but I can’t let them in if I can’t touch them or get the vet to check them. I’m trying to be patient..but I’m wondering how long it may take and if I will be successful (??).

I’ve just recued a tiny female cat believed to be about 18 months old, she has had 2 litters and has now been spayed – yesterday. She is incredibly shy and noticably scared, although ahe shows some affection and purrs nicely but then takes herself of to hide. I read with interest Michelles comment about putting her in a small room with no hiding places. Does this mean don’t let her around the house at all and do I spend time with her in that room? Currently she is residing under my DVD cabinet and behind the toilet, which ever takes her fancy. Will she eventually come out or do I have to do something specific? I have a lot of patience but no idea what I’m doing, any comments would be gratefully recieved.

Nice to know there are people out there like you. I have tamed feral cats, it takes a lot of patience as the article stated. I took in a pregnant mother that for months would climb high on top of my cabinets and constantly knock over garbage. All the ferals that I have rescued except for one eventually became lap cats. Taking responsibity for these poor creatures was effortless and very meaningful.

Michelle, you are right in what you say here.

Most of my pet cats have been rescued from horrible situations; one black as coal beauty (well, beauty when she grew up, anyway) was found in the middle of a road in the middle of a dark night.

OF COURSE she’d just been thrown away by some heartless non-human.

Filthy dirty because she hadn’t been fed so had diarrhea’d down her back legs, covered with fleas, tiny ribs like needles, still-wobbly legs, eyes that hadn’t changed color yet…this one was on her way out and I am sure she would have died that night if I or some other ol’ softie hadn’t found her.

Highway Miracle, who was called Baby, lived to 13 years. She was always shy. If anyone approached the house I knew it because Baby would streak for her hiding place. Alright, it was on top of my bed but SHE thought she was hiding.
She was also called “The Alarm Cat,” because of all that dashing away from Who Is That At The Door??

I firmly believe rescued animals know they’ve been rescued and they show it most every day. Baby, for instance, liked to wash me. Either she loved me or she was after the salt on my skin, lol.

Kudos to you for having the patience needed for a scared out of its’ mind four-footed!

Lea.